


Volkamenia

by picklesaregood



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Minor Germany/North Italy (Hetalia)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-24
Updated: 2018-02-24
Packaged: 2019-03-23 11:23:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13786548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/picklesaregood/pseuds/picklesaregood
Summary: May you be happy.





	Volkamenia

**Author's Note:**

> these story touches upon themes of infant mortality. please do not read if you are sensitive to the subject.

volkamenia.

may you be happy.

 

~

Ludwig knew that day was not going to go well by precisely thirteen minutes past six. The phone call that first ruined his day was overly long, anxious, and very, very loud.

“Ludwig!” He heard Antonio yell down the phone. “Look, I’m so so sorry but I won’t be able to help out today. Mama fell about an hour ago on the bathroom floor and thinks she broke her hip, and what with João being in Fortaleza and Emma running her shop and who knows where Lars and Laurent are, I’m gonna have to take her to the hospital.”

Ludwig grunted. He was still half-asleep.

“Is it still okay if Giorgio stays with you today though? Chiara will bring him over at about eight if that’s alright. I’m really sorry, I promise that I’ll babysit the kids by myself next week to give you a rest!”

Ludwig assured him that no, no, it was okay, and that he didn’t have to worry, that he could care for the children by himself, and then put the phone down while Antonio was mid-sentence. Year-long phone calls were not his cup of tea, and he needed a good long while to prepare himself for the monster that would inevitably end up on his doorstep in less than two hours. Thank God Giorgio had his father’s genes to balance him out.

The next call came less than ten minutes later.

“Ludwig?” Francis’ voice was hoarse. Once upon a time Ludwig would have assumed it was a hangover, but he could hear Gwen nagging rather clearly in the background and quickly came to another conclusion. “Please help.”

He rolled his eyes. “What time?”

“We’ll be over in about half an ho… Argh, Peter, don’t bite! Papa has to pack, go see your mother. About half an hour. Apologies, we just can’t get ready to fly with… Peter, put that down!”

Information received, Ludwig hung up. One more child wouldn’t be too much hassle, surely? And if Peter really was as much of a brat as normal, he would just find Alice’s not-so-secret stash of sweets and give them to him fifteen minutes before his parents came to pick him up. Wait, wasn’t he staying the week at Antonio and the Demon’s? Even more of a reason to do so.

The final phone call was unexpected compared to the rest, and came at twenty to.

“Ludwig?” Sophie sounded exhausted. “Sascha’s sick.”

Ludwig felt his stomach drop a little. “Is he okay?” He asked, clutching the phone a little tighter.

“He’s just had this stomach bug all night. He hasn’t vomited for a few hours, but he needs to stay in bed for another day just to make sure it’s gone. Problem is, I’ve used up all my holidays and…”

“Bring him over anyway.” Ludwig said, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

~

Francis knocked on his door first at ten to eight.

“Are you okay?” Ludwig asked

“I should be asking you that.” Francis sighed, tugging some sort of food from his hair and ignoring Ludwig’s wince. He flicked it into the bushes, and scowled. “I miss being a bachelor.” He tugged the little mass clinging onto his arm. Peter didn’t move from behind his legs.

“Only a few hours until you flight now, though. That’s something to look forward to.” But even as Ludwig said it, Francis seemed to stare right past him. “Come on, P.” Ludwig extended out his hand. Peter hid further.

“Peter.” Francis’ tone was bright and happy, but from the various orange stains down his rumpled shirt and the way his eyes widened just a little too much, Ludwig could tell he was close to popping.

Peter wrapped his arms around his father’s thigh and sang, “Nope. Don’t wanna. I wanna stay with Mum and Papa an’ I love them so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so…”

Francis looked like he was debating whether he should stab himself or throw himself into the lake.

~

At nine minutes past eight (God in Heaven knows she was always late), the doorbell rang.

Ludwig dragged himself away from pulling Peter off the banister, and pulled the door open just a crack.

Dear. Lord.

His beloved sister-in-law had one hand planted tightly onto her hip, hair in a tightly styled bun and her painted red lips pulled up into a sneer. Even though it was a dreary February morning, the gleaming Armani sunglasses were perched on her nose.

“Good morning, Chiara.” He said wearily.

She nodded at him sharply, and dropped down beside her son, careful to make sure that her perfectly polished six-inch heels remained staunch in their stance. “ _Chiacchiere _, Mamma must go to work now. Papa or I will pick you and Peter up later on, but _Zio Patata _is going to look after you today, okay?”____

____Giorgio smiled his father’s toothy smile, and his mother cracked a rare one of her own. Ludwig was surprised she didn’t burst into flames. She then stood up and looked at him._ _ _ _

____“He has been feeling particularly warm this morning, so I’ve brought medication. It doesn’t seem to be affecting him too much, but I can imagine it will hit him later today. If he feels really poorly, text me. I’ll pick him and Peter up as soon as I can.”_ _ _ _

____She handed him a new little red rucksack. He wasn’t surprised to see some designer name etched onto the front._ _ _ _

____She then peered inside, and pointed up to Peter, still swinging from the bannister. “That’s surely a health and safety hazard.”_ _ _ _

____“He’s made of rubber,” was all Ludwig could respond._ _ _ _

____They both paused for a moment before Chiara pulled her sunglasses off and studied him in a way only women with Karpusi blood ever could. He felt a little exposed. It didn’t help that, when she wasn’t scowling, she was the spitting image of her little sister. “Are you okay?” She asked suddenly, and Ludwig almost choked on his spit in surprise. He simply nodded, tongue tied, and she turned back to her son._ _ _ _

____She planted a sloppy kiss on both of his cheeks, ushered him inside, and waved one leather-clad hand in goodbye, touching it briefly against her pouting mouth._ _ _ _

____Giorgio did the same in response, and grinned up at Ludwig. The red lipstick marks were hard to see against his bright cheeks, but still visible._ _ _ _

____“Would you like a face cloth?” Ludwig asked._ _ _ _

____Giorgio shrugged, and patted the marks with a pride seen frequently in his maternal grandfather. “Kisses are nice.” He grinned, and half-ran, half-crawled up the stairs to poke Peter._ _ _ _

____~_ _ _ _

____Both boys had somehow undressed themselves completely and were charging about the house pretending to be dinosaurs for half an hour when the doorbell rang once again. Ludwig scooped Giorgio up in his arms – Chiara was right, he was particularly warm – and staggered over to the front door as Peter threw his arms around his carer’s right ankle._ _ _ _

____When he finally managed to get the door open, Sophie’s jaw dropped._ _ _ _

____“Having a fun morning?” She asked, her thin face curling into the slightest of smiles._ _ _ _

____In response, Giorgio and Peter both started yelling something incomprehensible. Giorgio’s sounded somewhat like a code-mix of Italian and Spanish, but Peter’s words would not have been out of place in the Jabberwocky. Sophie stepped back in surprise, and Ludwig offered Giorgio to her._ _ _ _

____“This could have been yours.” He joked weakly._ _ _ _

____Sophie pulled a face, and adjusted her wire-framed glasses. “Not with my genes.” She retorted sharply, tossing her dark hair just slightly. She squeezed the tiny, pale hand that was wrapped around her finger and gently ushered Sascha inside._ _ _ _

____Sascha’s thumb was once against shoved into his mouth, his wide eyes darting around untrustingly. His backpack was far too big for him, and his shorts extended below his knees. His hair was a tangled mess that fell into his eyes and below his chin, and he twirled his spare finger around it. It was shockingly white beside his beetroot face._ _ _ _

____“We went to the barber’s yesterday.” Sophie explained. “He shrieked the house down once the clippers came out and now I can’t even go near him with a comb.”_ _ _ _

____Sascha scuffed his shoe, and started to whimper. Sophie peppered his head with small kisses, and guided him inside further with a gentle push. “If he vomits once more…” She began._ _ _ _

____Ludwig shook his head. “I’ll put him in the spare room here to sleep. You get yourself to work, I’ll sort him out here. Besides,” he said as Giorgio lay his head in the crook of his neck, “he isn’t the only one.”_ _ _ _

____Sophie ducked inside to give Sascha one last kiss, and ran towards her car._ _ _ _

____~_ _ _ _

____It took less than an hour before the crying started._ _ _ _

____Sascha had not left Ludwig’s side once, and Ludwig watched as he progressively grew paler and paler until he was a ghostly grey colour. Giorgio took a sudden turn too; he had not nearly reached the same level as Sascha, but when Ludwig insisted that he put his clothes back on now, so help me, Giorgio insisted that he was too warm before falling on his bottom and bursting into tears. Sascha quickly followed suit, and Ludwig decided that the best action would be to put the boys to bed with a bucket beside them._ _ _ _

____He found one of his old t-shirts that Alice had shrunk in the wash and her bright pink nightie. The boys were offered a choice, and Giorgio immediately reached for the nightie. Ludwig shrugged. It probably smelt of her, which meant it probably smelt similar to his witch mother. Either that or the boy already had a questionable fashion sense._ _ _ _

____The two of them looked almost comical in their oversized clothes, but it was this way or the-Ludwig-getting-screamed-at for-rumpling-up-overly-expensive-toddler-clothes way. He debated texting Chiara for a brief moment before realising that she would laugh at him for barely lasting an hour._ _ _ _

____He sat with them for a moment. They seemed so sweet and peaceful when they were tired, and the two of them together were their fathers’ doubles. Ludwig’s smile faded. Life was much simpler once upon a time._ _ _ _

____And then Peter started yelling about how the television looked so pretty in its pan hat and Ludwig ran down the stairs at a double-quick pace._ _ _ _

____~_ _ _ _

____It was barely half eleven when Peter turned to Ludwig and dissolved into tears. Ludwig stared before desperately trying to get the child to calm down, but alas, the kid had his father’s love of dramatics. He threw himself into Ludwig’s arms._ _ _ _

____“What’s wrong?” Ludwig asked._ _ _ _

____“Feel sick.” Peter wailed in between heaving sobs._ _ _ _

____And so all three boys ended up snuggled together in a huge king-sized bed, each fluctuating between bright red and deathly pale. All had a temperature, and all wrinkled their nose and whined at the mere mention of taking medicine._ _ _ _

____“It’s tasty.” Ludwig insisted. Only Peter believed him, and he nearly spat it back out._ _ _ _

____It took the other two almost five minutes each to take the damned medicine._ _ _ _

____So he tried to encourage them to sleep. They all refused without a story._ _ _ _

____The only story books they had were shoved high on a shelf in the wardrobe, pushed out of sight and out of mind entirely until either he or Alice felt enough was enough and burnt every last one. But as he pulled the box down and thumbed through each book, he felt his heart ache a little at the idea of losing them. He brought one up to his nose. It still smelt of her._ _ _ _

____He put that aside – it was far too young for the boys, they needed something a little more complicated – and finally chose one about fairy tales. “Is this okay?” He asked the boys, sitting back on the edge of the bed._ _ _ _

____Peter stuck his tongue out. “It’s girly.”_ _ _ _

____Giorgio nudged him a little too roughly. Ludwig told him off. “I like it!” He said in the same stern tone his mother used to tell his father that if he dared go outside looking like that she would hose. him. down._ _ _ _

____Ludwig looked at Sascha. Sascha gave him a weak smile and snuggled down to listen._ _ _ _

____And so he began to read. He read about castles and knights and witches and princess, about enchanted sleeps and hair spun into gold. Ludwig noticed in the corner of his eye that Giorgio slipped his hand into Sascha’s and he had to cough to clear his throat._ _ _ _

____Peter was out first. He snored deeply, arms askew, burrowing down into the duvet so deeply he could only be recognised by a tuft of curly blond hair and one chubby hand hanging over the edge of the bed._ _ _ _

____Ludwig adjusted the covers so he could breathe and kept reading._ _ _ _

____Giorgio was next to sleep, his hand still tightly curled around Sascha’s. His other hand curved its fingertips around the hem of the nightie, and he mumbled sounds Ludwig recognised but could not work out before his mouth drooped open and little snores rattled his chest._ _ _ _

____He kept reading._ _ _ _

____Sascha sat up, watching him more intently with every page turn. He did not seem to want to sleep, though the dark circles under his eyes grew more obvious as he grew paler and paler._ _ _ _

____Eventually, Ludwig stopped._ _ _ _

____“Why aren’t you sleeping?” He asked gently._ _ _ _

____Sascha shook his head. “Don’t wanna.” He said, rubbing his eyes._ _ _ _

____“You do.” Ludwig said._ _ _ _

____Sasha shook his head even more stubbornly and fought back a yawn. For a moment, he sat quietly, before climbing out of the covers and wriggling towards Ludwig._ _ _ _

____“ _Lullaby? _” Sascha’s speech changed quickly from English to German, and Ludwig felt his chest ache just a little.___ _ _ _

______“ _Which one? _” Ludwig asked.___ _ _ _ _ _

________Sascha thought for a moment. “ _Schlaf _.” He responded, climbing into Ludwig’s lap and laying his head on his shoulder.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Ludwig paused just briefly, blinking his stinging eyes. He wrapped his arms around his nephew’s waist, and began the song his own father used to sing to him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________~_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Peter woke up at half one, his eyes bleary and his chest heavy with sobs. He leant over the side of the bed and threw up straight into the bucket Ludwig had placed beside the bed._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________He had just been bathed and was wrapped in the biggest, fluffiest towel Ludwig could find, when Giorgio woke up. His aim was not as good._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________The idea of leaving the vomit on the covers and walls was not appealing, but Giorgio was coated in a thick layer himself, and was shivering to boot. Another quick wash later of both child and bedding, and both little ones were wrapped up in blankets on the sofa, and Ludwig was staring at his phone, his thumb hovering over Chiara’s name._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________In most circumstances, he would immediately ring Antonio. After all, not only had he known him significantly longer but he was also much more likely to be human, and while he was protective of his son, he wasn’t quite in the same league as his hell bride._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________However, she had specifically told him to contact her. Well, text her. But this was probably in need of more than a text._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Screw it. What could she do down the phone?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________The phone rang three times before she answered._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Yes?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________He sucked in a deep breath. “Chiara, it’s Ludwig.” He said._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“I guessed from your caller ID. Is he okay?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“I’m afraid not. Both he and Peter have been sick.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Have they taken something for it?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Ludwig nodded to no one in particular. “And thrown it back up again. They’ve both had baths, and…”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Her voice grew faster paced. “Yeah, yeah. Give me fifteen to finish up and I’ll be over. Text the fucktard for me, yeah? I won’t have time.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________It took him a minute to work out who she meant. “Erm, yes. Okay.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________She paused for a moment before speaking again. “Is Sascha there?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Yes. He’s not feeling well either, but he hasn’t thrown up yet, which is a plus.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Do you want me to take him back too?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Ludwig stopped for a moment. “Are you trying to do me a favour?” He asked._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________She spluttered. He could almost see her going bright red, and he snickered quietly. “Don’t get any ideas, bastard. I’m just trying to do what’s best for him. Wouldn’t want the poor kid to be stuck with you.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________He pulled himself together. “No, no. He’s fine here.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________She hung up without saying goodbye, and Ludwig quickly sent a text off to Antonio before sitting himself between Peter and Giorgio. Sascha was at his feet, leaning into him with his eyes closed._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“The story was bad.” Peter whined. “It made me sick.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Giorgio balled his tubby fists. “I like it.” He said indignantly, his bratty mother coming through. “It’s a good story. I like the one with the princess.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“A lot of them have princesses in.” Ludwig said._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Giorgio pouted. “Then I like a lot of them.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Then I don’t like you.” Peter said._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Giorgio burst into tears once again, and Ludwig decided he definitely was his father’s double in the sensitivity department._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________~_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________When the doorbell rang for the fourth time that day, Ludwig almost ran for it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Chiara looked mildly irritated for having waited a whole ten seconds for him to open the door, but her human gag was there to hold her back. Thank God._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Ludwig!” Antonio greeted, dragging him into a hug. “You okay? Thank you so much for taking care of them by yourself today, I’ll pay you back, I promise, it’s just she had no one to take her and then she didn’t want to be by herself but then Emma took the afternoon off and…”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Chiara shoved finger against his lips. “Shut up.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Ludwig winced as her heels clicked against the wooden floorboards of the hall, positive she only wore those to irritate him. Why else would she? There was no way they were comfortable._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Slave to fashion.” Antonio clarified with a wide grin. Ludwig shushed him immediately. She scowled at both of them before taking herself and her shoes into the living room where she became a different person completely._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Oh, dear me! What on earth happened to you all?” She picked Sascha up from the floor and placed him between her son and Peter. She felt each child’s temperature and tutted quietly. All three received a gentle kiss._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Ludwig looked at Antonio. He shrugged. “I don’t get that treatment either.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Chiara set about picking up bags and taking them into the car, while Antonio sorted out coats and shoes._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“You all look like you need a good sleep!” He said, tying Peter’s laces. Peter flopped down into his arms, and received a bear hug. Giorgio curled his lips in obvious jealousy – he must have got that from Chiara too – and threw himself at his father, before Sascha tentatively joined in. Antonio secured his arms under all three and lifted them up. They giggled and wriggled as excitedly as they could._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Chiara came clicking back in, and stared at her husband. “You should probably put them down before you pop a vein.” She said, poking his scarlet cheek._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Once they were safely on the floor, Chiara steered Peter out of the house towards the two cars with both hands firmly planted on his shoulders to stop him meandering off, muttering a quick, “thanks, I guess” in Ludwig’s direction._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Antonio scooped Giorgio up, and winked at Ludwig. “Thanks.” He said. “I know it’s been a busy morning, but we really are grateful.” He gave Sascha a peck on the head, and started moving towards the doorway._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Antonio.” Ludwig asked._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________He turned._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Was Abel not around to take your mother in?” Ludwig’s voice was mildly accusatory._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Antonio shrugged. “Yeah, but I offered. You know he has a bad back and…”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Is this another distraction technique?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Antonio’s ever-present smile faltered. Melancholy and guilt didn’t suit him. “I’m sorry, Lutz.” He said gently. “But what with Alice in Rome, we thought it would be best to keep you occupied, and this is the way you seem like most. We want you to be okay.” He let his eyes dart towards the window. “We all do.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Ludwig looked at his feet for just a second, feeling that sickening shame in his gut once more, mixed with some sort of childish vulnerability. Antonio was one of the closest things he had to a brother now and he could not even open up to him. No wonder why Alice needed space._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Hey.” Antonio’s face was lined with worry. In his arms, Giorgio yawned, his eyelids falling shut. “Don’t shut yourself away again, yeah? We need you just as much as you need us.” He turned his face towards Sascha who was counting the tassels on the rug. “Some of us especially.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________A sharp pain stabbed through Ludwig’s chest. “Unfair.” He muttered, turning away._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Antonio’s hand was heavy on his shoulder. “We’re always here if you need us, Lutz. That’s what family does.” And suddenly that toothy smile was back on his face. He pressed an adoring kiss to his son’s head. “Okay, _cottorito _, I think it’s time we left Uncle Ludwig and Sascha in peace, yeah?”___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Giorgio mumbled something, and Antonio began walking away. “I’ll see myself out. Have a fun afternoon with Sascha! Hope he feels better soon!”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________The door clicked shut, and Ludwig stared at his socks for a few seconds more._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________~_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Sascha’s drawings were scattered across the room as he hummed some incoherent tune he had no doubt heard his mother play. Ludwig watched him, his gaze soft, his arms empty._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He wished things were different. He wished Alice was here, loudly babbling about empty stories and drawing along with Sascha. He wished his grandfather was sitting in that chair by the fire, rocking back forth, his face sombre but his eyes glowing. He wished Sophie didn’t have to give up her dream and work two jobs so she could have free time with her son, watching him closely as he drew and singing whatever composition came to her mind. He wished Gilbert…_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________Fucking Gilbert._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________But most of all, he wished he had her in his arms. His little angel, his sweet, wonderful flower, with her silvery laugh and her rosy cheeks, her pearly teeth and pinkish gums and glowing blue eyes. He would have needed two arms to hold her now instead of just the one. She would be saying phrases rather than words. She would have filled this empty cavern of a house._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________But reality was cruel. Alice was in Rome, Sophie was at work, Gilbert could have been in a ditch for all anyone knew, and Grandpa was nought more than dust._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________And his arms were empty._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He thought about Antonio’s words. “That’s what family does.” He had said. But what family? His parents and grandfather were dead, his brother gone. Alice was elsewhere, and he did not know when she would return. His in-laws? Chiara couldn’t stand him. Herakles didn’t know him. Roma and Elene didn’t know what to say. He supposed Antonio and Francis counted in that family-friend way, but they had their own issues to deal with. Giorgio was his nephew through marriage and love, yes, but with two adoring parents, Ludwig wasn’t needed. Peter was also his nephew through love, but he did not need Ludwig in much the same way._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________The only person who truly needed him was Sascha._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________How poetic, he thought. Here he was, a father without a child caring for a child without a father. How cruelly, horrifically poetic._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He stood up from his chair suddenly. Sascha looked at him, confused. His cheeks were once again turning red._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________“ _Do you feel sick again? _” Ludwig asked, crouching beside his nephew. Sascha nodded, his face crumpling a little.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________“ _Do you want to cuddle on the sofa with Uncle and watch a movie?”___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________That sad little face perked up just a little, those watery eyes staring up with a strange hope. He looked so much like Gilbert, Ludwig thought, and yet was nothing like him at all. He supposed that was a good thing._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________Ludwig sat cross-legged on the carpet and pulled Sascha onto his lap. His kissed his nephew’s sweaty forehead, and thought about the third bedroom upstairs, still frozen in time. He thought about Sophie’s nights of stress and fear. He thought about how quiet this little boy was, how scared, and he silently made a vow to them both._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________We need each other, you and I. Together, we will be happy again. ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________~_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Author's Note:**

> chiacchiere means chatterbox in Italian, and cotorrito is (i believe, please correct me if i'm wrong) little (male) parrot in Spanish.
> 
> zio patata means uncle potato.
> 
> schlaf refers to schlaf, kindlein, schlaf, which is a german nursery rhyme.
> 
> chiara is romano, sophie is austria, sascha is kugelmugel, alice is veneziano, and giorgio is seborga


End file.
